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Guilt And Symbolism In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

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The Scarlet Letter Symbolism
Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the book The Scarlet Letter that took place in the puritan age in the 1800´s, he´s a anti-transcentist who believes deep down humans are messed up and mostly dark and sin, sickness, and evil beings. Hester Prynne, the mother of Pearl and the protagonists of this story, and is forced to wear the scarlet letter ¨A¨ on the dresses for the rest of her life because she committed adultery with Minister Dimmesdale. Hester went through pain, and humility feeling guilty for committing such a sin. Minister Dimmesdale the other sinner who had sex with Hester and kept it to himself keeping the secret from the town, led him to a deadly guilt residing in him and father of Pearl called the ¨Demon child and the…...¨, In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale, and Hester to contribute to the overall theme of guilt.
First, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the Scarlet Letter to contribute the theme of guilt. Hester felt guilty by isolating herself and feeling what she did was wrong and inappropriate. This guilt resulted Hester being reformed, and eventually forgiven and respected by her …show more content…

Hawthorne explains, “... Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him, for believe me, Hester though he were to step down from a high place and stand there beside thee on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life. (Hawthorne 63). This quote shows that Dimmesdale is begging Hester to tell them it was him so that she won't go through suffering alone out of guilt. Hawthorne explains, “All that guilty sorrow, hidden from the world, whose great heart would have pitied and forgiven, to be revealed to him, the pitiless, to him, the Unforgiving. (Hawthorne 127). Hawthorne says this because Dimmesdale is keeping his secret from the community who adores

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